Employer Perspectives on Working from Home: How COVID-19 is Changing the Patterns and Flows in Metropolitan Perth

Abstract

The mandatory requirement to work from home (WFH) during the pandemic has seen previous barriers to WFH (technology, productivity, face-to-face presence) tested and overcome. Indepth interviews with employers on their experience of managing WFH, before and during the almost three-year COVID-19 state of emergency in metropolitan Perth are reported. There has been a significant acceleration in the numbers of people who WFH part of the week and at the workplace the rest of the week. Changes to commuting patterns see employees spending more time in their local area, and changes in workspace needs have implications for future urban structure.